Leading the way in osteoporosis research

In 2022, we announced the ROS Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy would be concluded in its original, research-focused form, and repurposed to become a home for our professional education and leadership cultivation products (The Osteoporosis and Bone Health Academy). Find out more here.

The Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy was a collaborative venture with patients at its heart, bringing together the leading researchers, clinicians and academics in the field to advance scientific knowledge and work towards beating osteoporosis. 

The Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy objectives were to: 

1. Co-ordinate work programmes to identify research needed to beat osteoporosis
2. Broker new partnerships and collaborations
3. Engage, nurture and back the best and brightest minds to unlock new discoveries
4. Influence future funding for research
5. Put the voice of people affected by osteoporosis at the heart of research

The Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy consisted of an Academy Advisory Committee which, with the Chair, Vice-Chair and the charity's Director of Clinical Services, oversaw the outputs of the following three Working Groups.

• Causes - Understanding the causes and mechanisms of osteoporosis.
• Technology - Developing novel technologies for skeletal assessment.
• Effectiveness - Optimising the effectiveness of assessment and treatment. 

Public and Patient Involvement

So the needs of people with osteoporosis are at the heart of all the research we do, patients and their representatives formed part of all our Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy Committees and Working Groups.

The Patient Advocate members of the Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy used their knowledge and experience to provide a unique and valuable perspective, which helped shape the development of the Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy's research.

I really welcomed the Royal Osteoporosis Society's commitment to involving patients and the public in all areas of their work. I hope that by being part of a team of patient advocates in the Academy, we helped to share our insights from a patient perspective - contributing to the relevance and effectiveness of research - Academy Advisory Committee Patient Advocate - Mary Bishop

Research Roadmap

The Research Roadmap, published in 2021, was developed by the Osteoporosis and Bone Research Academy and supported by several key position papers which set out the blueprint for innovative research studies in the coming years. The Research Roadmap sets out the identified knowledge gaps in osteoporosis research and the key research priorities and will thus continue to guide our research investment decisions over the coming years. Find out more about the Research Roadmap here.